Chapter Four: Frasier

I have a dilemma, and I'm not sure how to solve it.

I think I'm in love with Roz.

I never imagined this would happen, and I've had such poor luck with relationships that I hesitate to tell her, because despite the fact that we are just friends, she is the most important relationship I have with a woman. I'd hate to lose her. . . but the fact remains that I love her.

We've tested the boundaries of our relationship a few times, most recently at a black tie event put on by the station. Truth be told, though one might expect differently, I despise these events (except for the SeaBees, but that's about recognizing excellence in broadcasting, not faking niceties with people who are only trying to move up the ladder of success).

"This champagne is a bland and cheap imitation of what should be a delight to my palate!" I told Daphne upon trying the bubbly alcohol that had been thrust into my hand.

"I think it tastes like champagne," she said, and I fought not to roll my eyes. "I don't know how you can even tell the difference. It all tastes the same to me."

"Yes, well, when you've developed the palate for quality alcohol, you. . ." I forgot what I had been saying, as I turned toward the entryway and caught sight of Roz coming in. She looked breathtaking. It's not as though I hadn't realized how attractive she is, but that night . . . she looked incredible. She wore a flowing, floor-length burgundy chiffon dress and her hair cascaded in waves around her shoulders. Under the lights, she glowed like a literal angel.

She saw us and hurried over, a bright smile on her face. "Hi, guys!" she said, and I'm sure I must have been staring, because her expression turned questioning. "Something wrong, Frasier? Oh my God, is there something on my face?" She began to fuss with her purse, and I put a hand on her arm to stop her, giving her a reassuring smile when she looked back up at me.

"I'm sorry for staring, Roz. It's just that, wow, you look so beautiful tonight." I was sure I sounded like a love-struck teenager, but that was how I felt, so I didn't mind telling her that.

She blushed a little and grinned. "Thanks, Frasier. You look pretty handsome yourself." She reached up and tugged on my lapels, then straightened my bow tie.

"Am I satisfactory company now?" I asked once she was finished, and she smirked.

"You'll do."

"Shall we?" I held out my arm for her to take, and she wrapped her hand around it as I led her to our table. I almost forgot Dad, Niles and Daphne were with us, I was so lost in the moment. I wasn't sure what exactly had changed that I viewed Roz so differently now, but then again, it's not as though it was a sudden change.

Most of the evening passed uneventfully, as we mingled with people from other stations as well as KACL, and the enchantment I had felt when Roz had arrived began to wear thin the more I spoke with all these strangers.

"My God, can you imagine talking to people you don't know and pretending to be interested in what they're saying every day?" Daphne gave me an incredulous look, but I didn't ask what she meant by it, as I had noticed Roz was nowhere to be seen. "Did you see where Roz went?"

Daphne snickered in response, and I turned my attention back to her. "And what is so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," she said. "It is just rather amusing how you have been fawning over her all night."

I straightened my jacket. "I am not fawning. I am simply trying to be a gentleman. Look at Niles. He's doing the same with you."

That made her think for a moment, then she finally nodded. "I suppose you're right, Dr. Crane."

"Thank you."

"If you're looking for Roz, I believe she went to get a drink." She pointed over towards the bar, and I had to groan to myself when I looked over and saw her talking to a sleazy looking guy. She glanced away from him and caught my eye, giving me a look that said, "Please save me," and my internal distress changed to satisfaction as I realized this was my chance to ask her to dance, something I'd been trying to find a way to do all night.

As I approached the bar, I could hear the sleazeball attempting to impress Roz by telling her all about his position as station manager's assistant at a competing station. Please, like he could compete with actual on-air talent.

I walked up next to them and slid an arm around Roz's waist. "Roz, honey, who's your friend?" I said, and she smiled up at me, quickly falling into the role I'd intended.

"Oh, Frasier, this is Jeff." She turned into me and rested a hand on my chest. "He's the station manager's assistant at KPXY. Isn't that nice?"

"Wonderful!" I said, and turned to Jeff, who looked smug.

"What do you do, Frasier?" he asked, and I had a hard time keeping a straight face as I answered.

"Well, I'm the host of the Dr. Frasier Crane Show," I said. "Roz didn't mention that? She's my producer."

Jeff started to shift uncomfortably. "Yeah, no, that didn't come up. So you two work together?"

"Oh, yes, we've been together for what seems like forever sometimes," I said, laughing, and Roz joined in, pressing herself against me slightly. I knew this was all a farce to get this creep to leave her alone, but I couldn't deny that I was enjoying said farce.

Jeff nodded his head and asked, "But you just work together, right?"

I looked at Roz and the look she gave me said to just say something, so I hedged around it, knowing what sorts of rumors could get started if this guy went around telling everyone we were an item. "Well, we don't exactly advertise it, but. . ."

"Oh, shoot," Roz interrupted, and I let out a relieved breath. "I promised the babysitter I'd check in with her."

Jeff's expression changed dramatically. "You have a kid?"

Roz gave him an innocent look. "Did I forget to mention that? Oops."

"You know, it was nice to meet you, but I don't think this is going to work out," Jeff said, and I almost cheered when he grabbed his drink and walked away from the bar.

Roz grabbed her own drink once he'd left. "If I had a dollar for every time that's happened," she muttered, taking a long drink before turning back to me. "Sorry for making you come over here and pretend to, you know."

I shrugged. "I didn't mind. I'd been looking for you, anyway." She raised her eyebrows at me. "I was wondering if you wanted to dance."

She smiled over the rim of her glass. "You wouldn't be hitting on me, would you?" I opened my mouth to answer, but she continued before I could. "Oh, wait, we've been together for what seems like forever, so you don't have to hit on me, right?" Her smile grew and she started laughing, and I couldn't help but smile along with her.

"Touché," I said, then held out my hand.

She hesitated for a split second and I was sure I'd made a misstep, but then she placed her hand in mine and I felt the most delicious spark at that small touch, and when she looked up and met my gaze, I was sure she had felt it, too.

I felt like we were floating as we made our way to the dance floor, joining other couples as they waltzed to the music, Niles and Daphne among them. I smiled and nodded in their direction, Roz following my gaze.

"Do you think he'll ever tell her how he feels about her?" Roz wondered aloud, and I suddenly felt as though my heart would burst from my chest, it was beating so hard.

"You don't think she can tell? He's rather obvious about it." I managed to keep my cool, but it wasn't easy to keep my own feelings to myself.

She threw back her head and laughed that throaty laugh I've grown to love. "Are you serious? I've never met someone so oblivious in my life."

"Hmm. Perhaps you're right. But maybe one day he'll get the courage to tell her. It'd be a shame if she never found out."

"If someone was in love with me, I'd want to know," Roz said, and again, it was all I could do keep quiet.

Instead, I smiled. "It would take an idiot to be in love with you and not tell you, Roz."

Her smile lit up her face and made my own smile even wider. "Thanks, Frasier. Are you sure you're not hitting on me?"

I suddenly felt very bold and asked, "What if I was?"

She appeared to be deep in thought for a moment, then said, "I'd be flattered. I didn't think I was your type."

I scoffed. "Beautiful women are always my type," I said, and I could tell from her reaction – how she bowed her head and shook it slightly – that she was, dare I say, embarrassed by the attention? That was definitely a side of Roz I wasn't used to seeing, but it made her all the more charming to me.

She looked up after another moment. "I'm feeling a little warm. Do you want to step outside with me?"

The look in her eyes suggested she was looking for more than a cool breeze, and I found myself nodding my head and following her to the door, my hand resting on her back as we went.

I inhaled a deep breath as we stepped outside, the crisp evening air filling my lungs. "I hadn't realized how stuffy it was in there," I said, making sure to keep things casual in case I had misread Roz's signals. She didn't respond, though, and I looked over to make sure she was listening. "Are you okay, Roz?"

She was leaning on a railing, not looking at me, and after I asked that, it was like I had flipped a switch. She pushed herself off the railing and practically threw herself at me, pulling my head down so she could kiss me.

I found myself wrapping an arm around her back to hold her up and returning the kiss fervently. We'd kissed before, that time in Nervosa, but that was nothing compared to this. I wasn't sure if it was the kissing that had changed or us, but I knew something was different and it wouldn't take much at this rate before we'd be ripping each other's clothes off.

So, as much as I was enjoying myself, I knew I'd enjoy myself much more without getting arrested for public indecency, and pulled away from the kiss.

Roz's eyes snapped open and she looked at me. "What? What's wrong? Oh God, I knew I shouldn't have kissed you. . ."

"No, no, that's definitely not it," I assured her, reaching out and placing my hands on her arms. "There is nothing I want more right now than to finish what you started."

She reached out and fingered the buttons on my shirt – which was very distracting, let me tell you. "Then why did you stop?"

"I didn't think it would be appropriate if someone caught us making out and half-dressed," I said, and that made Roz smirk.

"Boy, you sure have a high opinion of yourself," she said, and I gave her a pointed look.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but that is where we seemed to be headed."

She grinned, and just that smile was enough to make me smile. "You're not wrong."

"Then you see why I stopped things. It's not that I'm not interested. . ."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But what you see as inappropriate, I see as an opportunity."

Now I was really curious what she meant. "An opportunity?"

Her smile turned predatory. "Yeah. An opportunity to show everyone you're not as much of a fuddy-duddy as they think you are."

"People think I'm a fuddy-duddy?" Perhaps she was just projecting. Because we don't share the same interests, she assumes other people find me boring.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. You're a radio psychiatrist who hangs out with his brother at a wine club for fun."

The nerve! "Well! I am sorry my extracurricular activities aren't as physical as yours!"

Her mouth dropped open. "You were the one who started hitting on me!"

"I wouldn't have been hitting on you if you didn't look so damn good!"

And I know now what a pathetic comeback that was, as far as comebacks go, but that whole exchange was just indicative of how things went with us – she infuriates me, but God, do I love that woman.

We stared each other down, as if getting ready for an actual fight, but rather than lash out with fists, we both reached for each other simultaneously, coming together in a desperate kiss. And I'm sure if anyone had seen us, it would have looked beyond ridiculous, but that was far from my thoughts at the time, as all I could think about was Roz's lips, her hands, her body. . .

But I found myself rudely torn from those glorious thoughts as the door opened and we jumped apart, not wanting to be found out.

A couple exited, laughing and stumbling, obviously suffering from the effects of too much champagne, and I felt my heart hammering against my ribcage as I looked back to Roz. She brushed some hair back from her face and licked her lips.

"Maybe we should go back inside," she suggested. "I'm sure everyone's wondering where we went."

I didn't really want to, but I nodded. She had a point. This wasn't really the place, and really, despite how much I was enjoying kissing her, we were getting into dangerous territory here. I care about her so much, and I know she values our friendship, but I don't know if she'd be willing to risk our current relationship to pursue something deeper. I'm sure she'd be fine with a casual fling, but then again, that's not being fair to her. I know she wants something more, but she just hasn't found the right person yet. And I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want, but I feel confident that I am that person.

But as I said, it wasn't the time to tell her that, so I just followed her back inside, resting my hand on her back.

Nothing else happened that night between us, but I know things have changed. The way she looks at me is softer, her hand lingers longer than necessary when she hands me a file and touches my hand, we've been spending even more time together outside of work than we did already.

I haven't told her the depth of my feelings for her yet, but I will. I'm sure of it. I'm just waiting for the right moment.

A/N: Roz is up next! Expect something similar to this chapter - some laughs, some emotional stuff. Thanks for reading!